Cable system for hauling units



Ot- 11, 1955 R. G. LE: TOURNEAU CABLE SYSTEM FOR HAULING UNITS 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan.` 25, 1950 R G. E TOUR/V540 OCt- 11, 1955 R. G. LE TOURNEAU CABLE SYSTEM FOR HAULING UNITS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 23, 1950 mm umm mm vm M, @Fi

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F?. G. LETOURNEAU Oct. 11, R, Q E TOURNEAU CABLE SYSTEM FOR HAULING UNITS Filed Jan. 23, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 JNVENTOR. RoaERT G- ETouRNEAu ATToRNsH Oct. 11, 1955 R, G. LE TOURNEAU CABLE SYSTEM FOR HAULING UNITS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 23, 1950 INVENTOR.

ROBERT G lTOURNEAu ATToRNE United States Patent O CABLE SYSTEM FOR HAULING UNITS Robert G. Le Tourneau, Longview, Tex., assignor to R. G.

ge Tourneau, Inc., Peoria, Ill., a corporation of Caliorma Application January 23, 1950, Serial No. 140,091

Claims. (Cl. 298-19) This invention relates to cable operated devices and more specifically to hauling units operated by a combination of power and gravity from a reversible cable winch.

The primary object of this invention is to devise a cable system equipped with means whereby the slack will be automatically taken out of the cable.

A second object is to provide a means whereby Suthcient tension on the cable will operate a limit switch to close a signal circuit to notify the operator when his trailer is being overloaded.

Another object is to provide a means for automatically shutting olf the power to the cable winch and thereby prevent the accumulation of slack in the system.

Another object is to provide a single structure which accomplishes both the removal of slack from the cable and the prevention of the accumulation of any more slack.

A further object is to produce a novel cable anchor which provides a floating end for the operating cable, and also provides a cam for tripping a limit switch to shut off power to an electric cable winch.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a perusal of the following specification and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a hauling unit employing this invention in which the near wheel has been removed to expose the bottom construction.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the slack removing means detached from the hauling unit.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged end view of the left end of the device shown in Fig. 2.

Fig.` 4 is a side elevation partly in section of the device shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detail fragmentary side elevation of the overload warning unit.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the hauling unit of Fig. 1 showing the body in dumped position after the rear wheels have been locked and the tractor backed.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the cooperation between the cam and up limit switch.

Fig. 8 is a schematic cable reeving diagram of the cable shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is a detail section of the spring box, spring and cable anchor of Figs. l and 4.

Fig. 10 is a wiring diagram of the winch motor and switch connections.

Referring now to the drawings, the particular hauling unit on which this invention is herein employed is seen in Fig. 1 to consist generally of: an open top body 1 having a bottom plate 1a including a rear axle structure 2 supported on opposite sides by wheels 3; the body 1 is supported at its forward end by a yoke 4 which includes a forward projecting hitch structure 5 which attaches the entire hauling unit to the power steering hitch 6 of a two-wheeled tractor 7 having drive wheels 8 thereon. Yoke 4 is U-shaped and includes rearwardly projecting side arms 9 which attach to the body 1 by means of a ball and socket mount as at 10. Arm 9 also includes an Patented Oct. 11, 1955 ICE upward projecting stop block 11 which cooperates with stop block 12 of body 1 to hold the body in its normal loading position. An upright mount 13 is located centrally of yoke 4 and this mount positions sheave 14 at the desired height to effect dumping of body 1. The dumping action here is Very similar to that shown in co-pending application No. 664,080, tiled April 22, 1946, now Patent No. 2,561,211 dated July 1'7, 1951.

In dumping, the body is raised and it describes an arc represented by line 15 about ball joint 10. A cam 16 has been welded at a point on the body which will describe an arc 15; and an up limit switch 17 has been attached to the yoke 4 in the path of this cam. When the body 1 has reached the desired upward tilting position, the cam 16 will engage plunger 17a of up limit switch 17 which will shut oit current to electric winch 18 and prevent any further reeling in of cable 19. After reaching the position at which the limit switch shuts o winch 18, the body 1 may still be tilted further rearward by braking wheels 3 and backing up tractor 7. It may be seen from Figs. l and 6 that the cable 19 will not move the bod;l 1 farther rearward than the position where cable 19 is in a straight line between sheaves 14 and Winch 18. However by braking the wheels 3 and backing tractor 7, the body may be further dumped, as it continues to pivot about ball and socket 10 and pivots about the approximate wheel center as the wheels and body roll slightly as a unit on the circumference of the wheels 3. The cable required to permit this additional tilting may be obtained by reversing winch 18, but is more often obtained by compressing spring 20 by the backward force of the tractor. Fig. 6 shows the extreme rearward position of the body. It will be noted that wheels 3 and 8 are much closer together in Fig. 6 than in Fig. 1.

The cable system 19 consists of a single cable extending from winch 18 lirst as lead 19a out and around sheave 21 of sheave block 22 mounted at the lower front corner of body 1 and then as multiple leads 19h which form a block and tackle system between sheaves 21 and 14 and then about sheave 21 and back as lead 19e to attachment with sliding cable anchor 23 in spring box 24 and rearwardly beyond spring 20.

In Figs. 2-4, details of spring box 24 and contents may be examined. The box 24 itself is seen to be made up of two channels 25 welded together to form a box like enclosure which is closed at its forward end by plate 26 and closed at its rear end by being welded to axle structure 2. Plate 26 includes an opening 26a to permit lead 19C to enter box 24 and be retained at its free end by cable anchor structure 23. This structure includes side walls 27 enclosed at the top by cam plate 28 and including an upper at plate 29 and a lower angularlv inclined plate 30. Plates 29 and 30 serve not only to reinforce side walls 27 but to provide a cable retaining closure for the free end of cable lead 19C. The cable overlays plate 30 and is bent around slidable wedge 31 which wedge causes the cable to bind against upper plate 29 under a slight pull on the cable caused by tension in spring 20. The cable will be continually wedged in position since there will always be tension acting on it from spring 20. The side walls 27 are closely fitted between the top and bottom sections 25a and 25b of channels 25, and are guided for longitudinal movement between angular guide plates 32 which also position and retain spring 20 so that both the cable anchor structure and the spring will have the same guided longitudinal movement. A stop block structure 33 is inserted in opening 34 of bottom sections 25h and includes a flat bottom mounting plate 33a which attaches thru bolt holes 35 to side bars 36 of box 24.

A limit switch 37 projects thru opening 38 of top sections 25a of the box, and plunger 39 of this switch is operative when depressed to shut off electric current to winch 18 for one direction of its rotation as can be seen from Fig. 10. The top plate 28 of cable anchor structure 23 includes a downwardly inclined cam section 28a. which will depress plunger 39 shortly after engagement therewith.

In operation, spring 2t) is compressed between plate 26 of the box 24 and side walls 27 of cable anchor structure 23 and acts at all times to urge the latter rearward against the tension of cable lead 19e. When the cable system 19 is operating, the weight of body 1 and other resistances cause the cable system to be under tension during most of the operating cycle. VUnder these conditions the cable tension will overcomev a part of the spring pressure and the cable anchor structure will assume a position approximately that of 23a. However, when body '1 has been lowered until stop blocks 11 and 12 engage, then any further paying out of cable 19a from winch 18 will result in slack in the system 19 which is immediately and automatically' taken up by rearward movement of structure 23V under pressure of spring 29. When cam section 28a reachesy and depresses plunger 39 of limit switch 37, the electric current required to operate winch 18 in the same direction is shut off no more slack is added to the cable system. Spring 20 will continue to force structure 23 rearward, however, until the latter is physically stopped by block structure 33. Plunger 39 at this point will ride over the top plate 28. Limit switch 37 will not affect the operation of winch 18 in a direction to pull the cable anchor structure off the limitV switch, such as to reel in cable and raise the body for dumping.

After the cable has been reeled in the desired amount permitted by limit switch 17 and cam 16, sheaves 21 and 14 have moved toward each other but have not yet reached the position where additional pull on the cable would no longer raise the body 1 but would actually tend to break the cable. (We shall call this position the straight line position.) At this position, the rear wheels are braked and the tractor backed up as previously described. The slack that appears in cable system 19 due to the limit switch stopping the winch 18 short of the straight line position. will be useful when the sheave 21 passes this position to the backward force of the tractor on body 1 thru yoke arms 9; the slack will then be used by the backward swing until the cable is again taut at which time any further backward movement of the tractor will compress spring 20 and body. 1 can swing further rearward. Sheave 40 guides a part of cable leads 19h when the body is in this position.

The overload warning device is seen in Fig` to include a 'box like closure 41, which is attached to hollow upright mount 13, and' which integrally with mount 1?: supports sheave block 42 by means of pivot pin 43. Within closure 41 is located a limit switch 44 which is adjustably secured to slotted mount 45 by means of a depending plate 46 and bolts 47. A cylinder 45 with a partially closed end V49 is also secured to and within closure 41. This cylinder includes a. compression spring 50 which surrounds bolt S1 and is contained at its ends between nut 52 and washer 53. Bolt 51 includes a threaded end 54 which engages nut 5'?. and a head 55 at its opposite end which engages plunger 56 of limit switch 44. Both ends 54 and head 55 of the bolt project beyond the ends ofcylinder 48. End 54 being threaded is adjustable to determine the present pressure of the spring 50. This end abuts sheave 42 so that when under a predetermined pressure of sheave block 42 against end 54 the bolt 51, and nut 52 will move rearward and compress spring 50. When this occurs bolt Sl will slide thru washer 53 and head 55 will depress plunger 56 of the limit switch 44. This limit switch in turn will complete an electrical circuit shown in Fig. l0 to give an audible signal to the operator by some conventional means preferably installed on the control panel of tractor 7, e. g. a signal horn as shown schematically in Fig. l0.

In operation, since stop blocks 11 and 12 would support the entire front end weight of body 1 and relieve the tension on cable 19, it is necessary to place a tension on cable 19 by raising the body slightly so that stop blocks 11 and 12 are not engaged. Then when a load is placed in body 1 the tension in cable 19 will increase until the maximum tension, depending on the safe allowable load in body 1, has been reacted. When this point is reached, sheave block 42 will be pulled down by pivoting about its pivot pin 43 and will compress spring 50 and cause the limit switch 44 to give the desired warning to the operator. The operator now knowing the maximum design load has been reached will lower the body further until the blocks 11 and 12 are engaged and this will relieve the cable 19 and shut off the signal. The hauling unit may then proceed to the fill for discharge of its load.

From the foregoing description, it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent is desired:

1. In a hauling unit including a tractor, a two-wheel end dump trailer, a U-shaped yoke surrounding the trailer and pivoted thereto, said yoke rigidly attached to said tractor; a control system comprising: a sheave at the lower forward end of said trailer, a sheave upstanding from said yoke, a power winch located under said trailer, a cable system operated by said winch and reeved between said trailer sheaves and said yoke sheave, a spring box having an end plate on said trailer, a sliding cable anchor attached to the free end of said cable system, and spring means engaging said anchor cable and positioned in said spring box operating between said end plate and said anchor to take up slack in said cable, limit means associated with said anchor to shut off power to said winch when said spring means has moved said cable anchor a predetermined distance.

2. In a hauling unit including a two-wheel tractor, a two-wheel end dump trailer, a U-shaped yoke surrounding the trailer and pivoted thereto, said yoke rigidly attached to said tractor; a control system comprising:

a sheave at Ithe lower forward end of said trailer, a sheave upstanding from said yoke, a power winch located under said trailer, a cable system operated by said winch and reeved between said trailer sheave and said yoke sheave, a sliding cable anchor attached to the free end of said cable system, and spring means associated with said anchor to take up slack in said cable, limit means associated with said anchor to shut off power to said winch when said spring 'means has moved said cable anchor a predetermined distance; a second limit means associated with said yoke, and a cam attached to said trailer and adapted to trip said limit means and shut offY power to said winch for operation thereof in a direction op'-` posite to that effected by rst named limit means.

3. In a hauling unit including a two-wheel tractor, a two-wheel end dump trailer, a U-shaped yoke surroundingthe trailer and pivoted thereto, said yoke rigidly attached to said tractor; a control system comprising: a sheave at the lower forward end of said trailer, a sheave upstanding from said yoke, a power winch located under said trailer, a cable system operated by said winch and reeved between said trailer sheave and said yoke sheave, a spring box having an end plate on said trailer, a sliding cable anchor attached to the free end of said cable system, and spring means in said spring box operating bef tween saidl end plate and said anchor to take up slack in said cable, a stop block on said trailer, a corresponding stop block attached to said yoke, said trailer operative to lower by gravity thru said cable system when said power winch is operated in one direction until said corresponding stop blocks are engaged; limit means associated with said anchor to shut olf power to said winch to prevent further rotation thereof in one direction, when said anchor has been moved a predetermined distance.

4. In a hauling unit including a tractor, a dump body pivotally mounted on a pair of wheels, draft means pivotally connecting the body to said tractor, a spring box on said body having an end plate and a sliding cable anchor therein, spring means acting to urge said anchor away from the end plate, a reversible electric winch on said body, sheaves journaled on the body and on the tractor, and a cable reeved between said sheaves having one end fixed on the winch and the other end attached to said cable anchor so as to act against the spring means, whereby slack will be automatically taken out if the system, a limit switch on the body operable when open to shut off power to the winch and having a plunger, and a cam on the cable anchor operable to engage said plunger and open the switch when the cable anchor is a predetermined distance away from said end plate and thereby prevent the accumulation of slack in the system.

5. In a hauling uni-t including a tractor, a dump body pivotally mounted on a pair of wheels, draft means pivotally connecting the body to said tractor, a spring box on said body having an end plate and a sliding cable anchor therein, spring means acting to urge said anchor away from the end plate, a reversible electric winch on said body, sheaves journaled on the body and on the ltractor, a cable reeved between said sheaves having one end fixed on the winch and the other end attached to said cable anchor so as to act against the spring means, whereby slack will be automatically taken out of the system, a limit switch on the body operable when open to shut orf power to the winch and having a plunger, a cam on the cable anchor operable to engage said plunger and open the switch when the cable anchor is a predetermined distance away from said end plate and thereby prevent the accumulation of slack in the system, and a cooperating up limit switch and actuator connected between said draft means and said body operative to shut off power to the winch upon a predetermined movement upward of said dump body.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,165,507 Rasmussen July 11, 1939 2,178,265 Peterson Oct. 31, 1939 2,250,852 Bertelsen et al. July 29, 1941 2,280,696 French Apr. 21, 1942 2,305,481 Le Bleu Dec. 15, 1942 2,329,241 Berney Sept. 14, 1943 2,360,823 Austin Oct. 24, 1944 2,365,521 Brooke Dec. 19, 1944 2,408,758 Dunlop Oct. 8, 1946 2,418,554 Kadz Apr. 8, 1947 2,561,211 Le Tourneau July 17, 1951 

